Project dates: 18/02/2020 - 18/11/2023
PROJECT OVERVIEW
This research investigates Open Innovation Strategies to foster Green Manufacturing and Digital transformation in conventional SMEs’ production systems. It addresses the needs that SMEs are facing to meet The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG 9) and Industry 4.0 transformation challenges. The research will employ a multiple case-study methodology to investigate suitable Open Innovation Strategies in three different SME manufacturers from the ARM Hub, an institution dedicated to accelerating the industry’s uptake of advanced manufacturing technologies. Theoretically, the research is situated at the intersection of studies of Green Manufacturing, Open Innovation, and Digital Transformation. The three SMEs will be recruited from three different manufacturing subsectors. For each SME case, qualitative methods including observations, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and grounded thematic analysis will be used to identify the critical points of action where environmental and digital enhancements could be achieved through Open Innovation strategies. After the PhD, the outcomes of the research will be applied in the Arm Hub manufacturing ecosystem leading to important end-user benefits.
PROJECT TEAM
Chief Investigator
Supervisors
Supervisor: A/Prof. Glenda Amayo Caldwell
Supervisor: A/Prof. Greg Hearn
Supervisor: A/Prof. Cori Stewart